Get more from the Maldives with Sun Hotels & Resorts
While the Maldives is famed for its laid-back atmosphere and 'no shoes and no news' motto, it is also a prime destination for early birds and night owls.
From seeing a spectacular star show at night on the hood of a traditional dhoni boat and dancing into the evening on a deserted island to spotting dolphins as the sun rises, guests staying at Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort and Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort can do as much - or as little as they please - at whatever time suits them.
Located in the South Male Atoll, Olhuveli is nestled amid tropical vegetation and surrounded by a vast sandy, award-winning beach - perfect for a brisk morning jog, while its crystal clear lagoon invites early birds in for a swim as the sun rises. Those wanting to be first out on the water can take a fishing excursion at dawn to catch a lunch of tuna, sail fish and barracuda - and perhaps be lucky enough to see dolphins playing in the morning surf.
Guests who prefer to start the day at their own pace can enjoy a leisurely breakfast, followed by a snorkelling safari at Olhuveli or a full day island hopping from Vilu Reef. Located in the South Nilandhe Atoll, Vilu Reef is surrounded by lush green vegetation, tall coconut palms and white sandy beaches, with a beautiful lagoon one side and a reef the other - ideal for snorkelling and diving. There are plenty of watersports available to try at both resorts - each boasting a PADI five-star dive facility - open for evening dives until 9pm, while Olhuveli offers one of the only registered kite-surfing schools in the Maldives.
Those who don't want to waste precious sunbathing hours inside, can wait until the sun goes down to visit the resorts' Sun Spas, which offer treatments into the evening. Guests can enjoy stimulating Thai or hot stone massage in cooler, more pleasant climes or pamper themselves after a day in the sun with an aloe vera and rose oil massage or a cucumber body heal.
For night owls, both resorts offer a selection of restaurants and bars, which stay open until midnight - or until the last guest leaves! After dark entertainment ranges from crab racing through to karaoke, discos and live bands, while for nature-lovers the lights of the jetty at Olhuveli attracts manta rays to come feed at the water's edge - a truly unique spectacle. Olhuveli's beach BBQ excursion offers something extra special, as guests dine on fresh local seafood and dance into the night on their very own deserted island, before marvelling at the canopy of stars above en route back to resort.
Thomas Cook Signature (ThomasCookSignature.com) is offering a 14-night twin-centre package to Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort and Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort in the Maldives from £2,083 per person, based on two sharing. Available for departures from 1 - 14 July, the price includes return flights from Heathrow with SriLankan Airlines, accommodation on a half-board basis with seven nights at each resort, resort transfers, taxes and surcharges.
